Surf lifesaving: Golds galore for Bay club

Celebration Time: The OBK U19 relay team which won gold. From left are Joshua Lee, Reece Akuhata, Regan Longhurst and Ben Lewis. Photo/Supplied

Ben Lewis was the toast of the Ocean Beach Kiwi beach sprint contingent at the national surf lifesaving championships in Christchurch last night.

The Napier Boys' High School year 13 student won gold in his under-19 final a month after finishing second at the Mount Maunganui-hosted Eastern Region championships. He then combined with Regan Longhurst and under-16 sprinters Joshua Lee and Reece "Wheels" Akuhata to win gold in the under-19 relay.

"Ben has worked so hard during the last month and is on fire," long-time OBK beach sprint coach Greg Larsen said last night.

"It's all because of Greg. He invited me six months ago to be part of his programme and when I saw all the rugby players he has coached over the years I had no hesitation in accepting," Lewis said.

"I've ticked off all the goals I have set for the year now but one. That is to cement a berth in the school's 1st XV and that will be the priority when we return home," he added.

Last month he won the 100m-200m double at his school's athletics sports and earlier this month repeated the feat at the East Coast Secondary Schools champs in Hastings.

Lee, Akuhata, Sam Henderson and Wesley Akeripa won the under-16 beach relay on New Brighton Beach.

"They won by the biggest winning margin I have seen by any beach relay team in all the years I've been coaching. It was comprehensive ... Joshua gave them an explosive start, Reece and Wesley did what they do for the Hastings Athletics Club and Sam displayed all the guts and determination you see from him on the rugby field," Larsen said.

Lee, Akuhata, Henderson, and Akeripa finished first, second, third and fourth respectively in the under-16 sprint.

"I've never had three on the podium together before and they finished up there from a field of 80 entrants," Larsen explained.

"It's been a big day for these boys but providing they get a good sleep tonight I'm confident Ben, Reece, Joshua and Sam could all make beach flags finals tomorrow. They are pretty focused. We scored 20 points on the beach today ... not bad for a club as small as ours," Larsen added.

His under-19 girls relay team of Sophia Peterson, under-16 competitor Manaia Winiata, Amira Bates and Emma Johnson won bronze. The under-16 girls team of Winiata, Lucy McKenzie, Sarah Winnie and Laura Johnson had the opportunity to win silver but a baton was dropped.

Ocean Beach Kiwi's open men's long course canoe race team won silver while their under-19 boys and girls long course canoe race teams both won bronze. The champs continue today and tomorrow.